


We're Catching an Early Train

by ladymac111



Series: And The Rest Is History [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, References to Jane Austen, Romance, Thai Food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-26
Updated: 2012-07-26
Packaged: 2017-11-10 18:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/469475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladymac111/pseuds/ladymac111
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock is cryptic, but John catches on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We're Catching an Early Train

"Ah, John, you're back, good. I was afraid you'd be out late."

John glanced at his flatmate in confusion as he hung up his coat. "Why would I be out late?"

Sherlock hadn't looked up from his book, but it was clear he wasn't really reading. "Well, you are sometimes. When you go for drinks with Sarah and the others."

John perched on the coffee table to pull off his shoes. "Never without telling you."

He saw Sherlock go a little pink and slouch a bit lower in his chair. "Anyway, we're catching an early train tomorrow, so you'll want to pack tonight. Be sure to bring your grey suit."

"My--? Where are we going? Have you got a new case?"

"No, it's, um. More of an experiment. I figure we'll be away about a week." He glanced up. "Oh, and you'll want to tell the clinic you'll be away."

"I can't just up and leave, I'm scheduled."

"Come on, it's not like you haven't done it before."

John sighed and tried not to smirk. "Well, that is true. But really, Sherlock, what's all this about?"

"We're going to Scotland. You won't need anything special except your suit."

"What's so special about Scotland that you can't experiment on here?"

Sherlock looked back down at the leather-bound tome in his hands, and gripped it firmly, as if trying to draw strength from it. "Our destination is Gretna Green. I think you know what they're known for."

He looked up at John then, green eyes meeting blue with startling intensity, and John felt his face twist into an expression of shocked disbelief. "Are you shitting me?"

This was apparently not what Sherlock was expecting to hear, and he looked suddenly spooked. "I -- that is --"

"No, I'm sorry, wait." John sat forward on the edge of the table, moving marginally closer to him and shaking his head -- this wasn't going well at all. "Let me just ... clarify." He took a careful breath, and felt Sherlock's gaze still on him, although for the moment he couldn't quite bring himself to meet it again. "You mean Gretna Green in ... in a period romance kind of way?"

"That, um. That was my inspiration, yes." John looked up to see him turning the book over in his hands, and when their eyes met his heart was softened by the cautiously hopeful face that Sherlock wore.

"You're really asking me to elope?"

"Yes." His voice was soft, hesitant, barely there.

"Like this?"

"Apparently so." He made a little face. "Though I admit it didn't go quite as planned."

John grinned, and couldn't come up with any words through the overwhelming rush of affection he felt for the ridiculous man in front of him. What did a person even say to something like that? This certainly wasn't a situation that a normal person ever found themselves in.

Sherlock was grinning back by now, and broke the silence a few moments later. "Hungry?"

"Oh, right, yeah. Should we get Thai?"

"Sure. I can order while you pack, if you want. I'm all set already."

"All right." He got up, but hesitated and then stepped toward Sherlock instead of the stairs, and gently touched his cheek, brushing a lock of hair back behind his ear.

Sherlock beamed at him and caught his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before they both realized the intimacy of the moment and pulled away -- it was still too new.

"I'll go pack," John said, willing his voice not to crack and making his way to the stairs. "Make my curry spicy, okay? You only ever eat your noodles anyway."

"Okay. And bring your blue paisley tie."

John paused in the doorway. "You like that one, eh?"

Sherlock looked down at his phone and bit his lip to try to disguise how big his smile was. "It matches your eyes."

John fairly floated up the stairs, and a minute later heard Sherlock on the phone. "Yes, delivery please. One pad thai with chicken, and a mussamun curry with beef, and make that one hot." There was a pause. "John! Do you want normal hot, or Thai hot?"

 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by 1) my great love for Pride and Prejudice, and 2) the exciting news that Scotland is planning to legalize same-sex marriage. Hooray!
> 
> Also, you have to admit, Sherlock's proposal is better than Mr Darcy's.
> 
> Story was originally posted in July of 2012 and completely rewritten in October 2015 to get both of them more in-character.


End file.
